


Mutual pact of non-affection

by Myqueenmarceline



Series: The Union of Princess and Queen [1]
Category: Adventure Time
Genre: (becomes a real relationship), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Before Finn, Bonnibel wears a tux, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Slow Burn, also in the past
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-02-15 20:51:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13039155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myqueenmarceline/pseuds/Myqueenmarceline
Summary: Marceline Abadeer, the Vampire Queen, daughter of the ruler of the nightosphere, is reluctantly married to the Princess of the up-and-coming Candy Kingdom. They were supposed to be merely political, but her new wife is far more charming than she expected.





	1. Marriage

Marceline didn't think she'd ever been in such a foul mood.

In a moment, her bride was to walk down the aisle and they would officially be married. It should have been an amazing day, but instead, all she wanted to do was get it over with.

After being woken far too early in the day, she had been poked and prodded enough for even the calmest demon to snap. Even if this suit was better than the hellish corset and dress, it was still itchy.

Her father stood next to her at the altar, ensuring that she wouldn't try and duck out at the last minute. Every time she started to slouch, his claws would subtly digging into her elbow.

He looked inordinately proud of himself, probably thinking that he was so shrewd for having linked himself to one of the fastest growing kingdoms in Ooo. He had also assured that his daughter would now be a political figure, whether she wanted to or not. The Vampire Queen might have sounded prestigious, but with no other vampires left, it was essentially an empty title.

Marceline may not have exchanged more than 10 words with the Princess before this (or even knew her first name), but, this was still better than her other option: having to start running the entire Nightosphere.

At least like this she would only be the spouse of a ruler, and it gave her an excuse to be able to stay in Ooo without her father trying to drag her back to the palace.

Everyone suddenly turned, and Marceline looked up. She had to admit, she didn't think such a large pink veil could look good on anyone, but the Princess somehow made it look regal.

She walked down the aisle, just slow enough for everyone to admire her as she walked by. Her gaze, however, stayed in the front, looking only at the place where she was supposed to stand.

During the ceremony, Marceline focused on trying to count the number of gems sewn into the Princess’ gown.

Her father nudged her when it was time for the rings, and she robotically held out her hand. This was the only part of the ceremony she’d had any say in, getting to choose what her ring looked like. The obsidian band and blood red stone looked lovely, and she admired the way it shone in the light.

The Princess' ring had a similar shape, but it was made of silver with a shining rainbow gemstone.

Marceline offered her a brief grin, but then they were ushered away to the reception (in her new castle), and things only became even more insufferable.

She was rapidly swamped with demons she didn't know, all patting her shoulder and congratulating her on the marriage. Everything was too loud, and by the time she got to the punch, it was already drained. There was literally nothing else that she could consume there, so she had to just wait until it was over.

It didn't help that the castle decoration was absolutely smothered in cheerful pastels, and the few candy citizens she did see were obnoxiously happy about it.

Finally, finally, she was able to be alone. A Peppermint Butler showed her to their shared chambers, where all of Marceline’s affairs had been moved.

She quickly disrobed, changing into a loose undershirt and shorts. She leaned against the wall in the corner of the room. Falling asleep alone in a strange place was a bad idea; she should at least wait to see if her wife had anything to say.

The door opened, and the Princess slumped against the door, wrinkling her skirt as she leaned against it.

She opened her eyes, letting out an exasperated groan as she noticed Marceline. Even if she could understand her feelings, Marceline couldn't help feeling a little offended. She wasn't that bad, was she?

Bonnibel seemed to realize this, pinching her temples with one hand and wincing. "Listen, I’m sorry. This isn't your fault, and you don't deserve that. I was up conducting research far too late last night, and I just… We need to talk about how this union is going to work, and that’s a conversation I'm just not in the mood for. Shall we just go to bed and discuss this in the morning?”

That was the first good thing Marceline had heard all day. She rapidly agreed, getting into bed and averting her eyes as the Princess undressed and slipped in next to her.

She dropped off quickly, this nightmare of a day lost in murky, dreamless sleep.


	2. Casual conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the aforementioned conversation happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this the chapters will be getting longer, so it may take more time to update! In the meantime, I hope y'all enjoy this.

She must have slept well, because when she next woke up it was just past dusk of the next day. Ah well. She was awake and hungry now. She slipped out of the room and meandered through the castle in search of some food.

It may not have been very filling, but she was able to drain a good pile of pink streamers from last night, and that was satisfying enough for now.

She noticed the Peppermint Butler from last night was watching her, seemingly lingering in her peripheral vision wherever she went.

“I need a shower. Is there a bathroom somewhere around here?” Marceline asked, turning around and floating over to him.

“Yes, follow me.” he took her back to the bedroom, waiting for her to pick out some clothes before leading her where she wanted to go.

Like the rest of the place, it was luxurious and covered in pink, from the taffy-coloured tiling to the magenta taps. Ah well, she supposed there wasn't much she could do to change it. It wasn't her castle, and she certainly wasn't going to endear herself to anyone by asking to change things right away.

She dismissed him and ran herself nice warm bubble bath, sinking in until only her eyes peeked above the water. Since she didn't need to breathe, she could simply enjoy the warmth around her. She didn't quite fall asleep, but she slipped into a state between the conscious and the unconscious.

The peace was shattered as the bathroom door opened, Marceline’s guard instantly back up. She hissed, wrapping her arms around herself even if she was still completely submerged and pressing herself into the corner of the bathtub.

The Princess sighed, making a show of turning around and covering her eyes as she spoke. “I’m sorry, I do not mean to interrupt your bath. However, I am going away to a Princess Summit tonight, and I think it is important that we at least have this conversation before I go.”

“Well, what do you wanna talk about?” Marceline asked, her tone still curt. Couldn't the Princess have just waited until she was out of the bath, or even knocked? Yeah, they were married, but Marceline planned on having her own space.

“Well, first of all, we were never properly introduced. I’m Bonnibel Bubblegum. It’s nice to meet you.” She waited until Marceline grumbled something resembling her own name before continuing. “Now, about our relationship. I do not know your intentions going into this, but I will tell you mine: this is merely a political alliance for me. I am not interested in a romantic relationship at the moment. I understand we may need to engage in certain forms of physical contact when we are in public. However, I would appreciate it if in private we were a bit more separate, and I do not want to kiss at all. Are these terms acceptable?”

Marceline stifled a chuckle at how clinical it all sounded. The rumours about the Princess—Bonnibel, it would be odd to continue referring to her as that—being all business.

“"Now, is there anything else you need, or would you mind letting me continue?” she asked semi-sarcastically, sitting up a little straighter.

“Indeed. Once again, pardon my interruption. I don’t plan on doing this in the future, I just wanted to establish some ground rules. I will see you in a few days.” Bonnibel said. She may have been trying to be impassive, but after years of practice, Marceline could detect the undertone of annoyance that meant she was successfully irritating those around her.

She quickly left, practically slamming the door shut behind her.

As she finished washing Marceline couldn't help mulling over the conversation. She might have been reading too much into it, but Bonnibel didn't seem as bad as she’d first thought. She appreciated her honesty, and the fact that Bonnibel had asked her opinion. This marriage could turn out to be something better than the lesser of two evils after all.


	3. Companionship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so I'm sorry for not posting for awhile I went to see family and got sick, but today I managed to finish this chapter and it's a fairly long one, so I hope y'all enjoy it.

When Bonnibel returned a week later, Marceline had begun to settle in to her new life. Everything had been perfectly constructed to run on its own, and she didn't need to trouble herself with changing a system that worked.

She’d also met most of the citizens. While she wouldn't exactly call any of them her friend, she’d found unexpected companionship in Peppermint Butler. As a fellow creature of the night, he understood her needs better.

She was now awake for some of the day, but she spent most of her time in the library. It was one of the only places with complete curtains, so she didn't need to worry about being turned into ash by accident. There were also some rather interesting history books behind a hidden panel on one of the shelves.

She was lounging on one of the overstuffed chairs when Bonnibel came in, skimming over a book she’d already read. The story was interesting enough, but she couldn't find the will to truly focus on it.

Bonnibel didn't even seem to notice her, muttering to herself as she scanned the shelves. She took down several heavy scientific volumes, easily holding them with one arm while the other pulled a small, battered notebook from her pocket. After consulting it, she put one volume down but kept the other two.

Marceline was intrigued, and she didn't even notice her magic was waning until the book she'd been reading dropped onto the floor.

Bonnibel whirled around, shifting her grip on the books as if she was going to use them as a weapon to fight off some sort of intruder.

From the look on her face, she wasn't very happy to see her. Marceline was pretty sure she'd seen people who were about to be executed that looked cheerier.

“Oh, it's just you,” Bonnibel said, rolling her eyes. “If you want to get my attention, you don't need to resort to such juvenile means.”

“Hello again to you too Bon-Bon. I missed you so much while you were away, it’s just lovely to have your wonderful company again.” Marceline simpered mockingly. She might have just left well enough alone, but the way Bonnibel acted like she was such an inconvenience got on her nerves, so why not return the favour?

Bonnibel took a deep breath, clearly closing her eyes and mentally counting to ten before she spoke. “You may stay here, but please ask before you try and gain access to more of my private chambers. I'm going to go work. I don't know when you eat, but you shouldn't wait for me.”

Then, without so much as a goodbye, she turned and left.

After that, Marceline couldn't really be blamed for following her. She was bored, tired of being left alone, and Bonnibel might have been right in assuming that she had a mischievous streak.

On top of that, she had invisibility powers! Imagine what a waste it would be if she didn't use them for this sort of thing. What a travesty that would be.

During their little walk she made sure to keep a good distance away, so that any possible small sounds she caused would be out of Bonnibel’s earshot.

To Marceline’s surprise, Bonnibel didn't try and furtively slip into some sort of secret door. Instead, she walked up to a completely visible door, unlocked it, and stepped inside.

Marceline sped up, just barely slipping in before Bonnibel closed it again. She pressed herself flat against the wall, closing her eyes and praying that Bonnibel hadn't noticed her.

She heard the sound of something being picked up off a table, before footsteps headed off somewhere away from her.

She waited, breath bated, until she heard a door somewhere on the other side of the room open and close. She’d made it.

She opened her eyes, looking around for the first time. Her jaw dropped. She was in the entrance to an absolutely massive laboratory. Beakers and test tubes of strange liquid crowded all available flat surfaces, graphs and charts were plastered over the walls, and Marceline even saw a few half-built machines balancing precariously on the edges of tables or tucked into the corners of the room.

She'd heard that Bonnibel was scientifically inclined, but this was far beyond anything that she'd been expecting.

After thoroughly examining the objects on a few tables (and deciding that she was largely ignorant of what just about everything in this room did), she once again became curious.

This room might be amazing, but Marceline still wanted to find Bonnibel. Where could the princess have gone?

She moved back to the first table, doing her best to trace where Bonnibel’s steps would have taken her. This led her to a seemingly blank wall.

However, as Marceline leaned closer, she noticed tell-tale outlines of a door. She pressed her ear against it, and was able to hear the sound of pages turning. Jackpot. Bonnibel was definitely in there.

She carefully pressed on it, trying to figure out a way to go around it when it swung inwards, forming a sizeable gap. Well, there was no way that wouldn't be noticed, so she might as well take advantage of it.

Marceline leaned forwards and carefully peered inside. Thank goodness she could see well in the dark, because except for the door, there was no light source in the tiny room. How could anyone work in these conditions?

She jumped as a dark silhouette suddenly moved, going from hunched over a desk to standing tall and looking around. She lurched backwards, nearly bumping into a table of beakers.

“Hello? Who's there?” Bonnibel called out, quickly closing the books and standing up. She made her way to the door faster than Marceline had anticipated, and she wasn't able to turn invisible again before she was spotted.

“Marceline? Really?” Bonnibel sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “What did I just say a few minutes ago about coming into my private chambers?”

Marceline knew that she was probably in the wrong here, but she couldn't help the mounting irritation at how Bonnibel acted. She wasn't some child who could be talked over, she was an adult and an equal partner in this!

“First of all, I didn't agree to that. Second, I wasn't done talking to you. You just… gave me your orders then left! What was I supposed to do, wait another week until I could see you?” Marceline asked defensively.

“Alright, then what do you want? I'm very busy, you know. I actually have a kingdom to run, and I use all the free time I can get to work on my experiments. I thought I made it very clear that I won't be around to just entertain you all day.” Bonnibel said coldly, a hint of a smile on her face. She clearly thought she'd won this little argument, as she turned away.

“Alright, I get that, but you have to just listen to me for a second!” Marceline exclaimed, reaching out and grabbing the edge of Bonnibel’s sleeve. “I get that you don't want to see me, but if you want to sell this whole ‘marriage’ thing, we’ll need to at least be somewhat comfortable around each other. Trust me, it’s very obvious when two partners aren't used to spending time with each other. It’s funny to watch, but I doubt that you want to look that foolish.” Marceline folded her arms. This was for Bonnibel’s benefit, why couldn't she see that?

Honestly, it was as if Bonnibel had signed up for the marriage without understanding that she would actually have to interact with another person at all.

“Very well. You may physically be present in this room, but some of these instruments are very delicate. Do not, under ANY circumstances, touch something.” Bonnibel said, the look she gave somehow managing to make Marceline feel even **more** unwelcome. Wonderful.

She entered the small room again, flicking on the light and beginning to measure some liquid into a beaker. She kept the same grim expression on her face, occasionally glancing at Marceline out of the corner of her eye, as if telling her that she was still under supervision, and that no more misbehaviour would be tolerated.

“Cheer up, you look like you’re going to an execution. Am I really so bad to be around?” Marceline asked, some of her hurt inadvertently seeping into her voice. Usually when people treated her like this, they at least tried to minimally get to know her (and she didn't have to spend a lot of time with them).

Bonnibel carefully put the beaker down and turned to give Marceline her full attention. She looked more tired than she did angry, and from this vantage point Marceline suddenly noticed the dark circles under her eyes.

“I have been away for a week. So, I apologize if I'm not in the best mood, but I really, really, REALLY need to get this done and I've been thinking about it all week. I'm pretty sure I’ve finally figured out how to distill this, so forgive me if right now I'm a bit curt but I really don't want to be interrupted.” Bonnibel said, the words spilling out like water. Everything else Marceline had heard her say sounded carefully calculated. This, however, seemed much more authentic.

On top of that, Marceline could definitely understand where she was coming from. When she'd had to live with her father, she was constantly forced to tear herself away from what she enjoyed to attend dull functions—sometimes, they even had no bearing on the Nightosphere at all.

It was kind of endearing to find out that underneath her public shell, Bonnibel had her own desires.

“It’s alright.” Marceline said, looking down. She might have been a bit too pushy, but Bonnibel had touched a nerve with the whole ‘you have no kingdom or job to do’ thing. She should really try and make up for it. _Now. Come on, say something._ “Can I, uh, help you somehow?”

Bonnibel looked surprised, but paused, considering it. “… Possibly. Let me think for a minute.”

Marceline waited patiently, watching Bonnibel pour a second, clear liquid into a test tube.

“Alright, hold this.” Bonnibel said, handing her the test tube and the beaker.

Marceline obeyed, careful to hold both perfectly straight. She didn't dare move. If she messed up now or spilled them, she was sure that Bonnibel would kick her out.

Bonnibel didn't seem to notice, sucked back into her world of chemical calculations. Marceline would have thought that she'd forgotten about her if she didn't continue to take the tubes and then hand her new ones.

The little sound of triumph she made when she finally got it made the pain in Marceline’s legs worth it.

From that day on, if Bonnibel was in the lab, Marceline was there with her. She might not have fully understood what Bonnibel was doing, but the skill and speed with which she worked made it entrancing to watch. Bonnibel allowed her in since it turned out that sometimes, having two sets of hands to work with could be beneficial to experiments.


	4. First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this story isn't over! I do plan on finishing it. Thank you for your patience.
> 
> UPDATE AS OF MONDAY JUNE 11TH:  
> Hello everyone. I'm sorry for the delay. I finished with school. However, in about a week I will be leaving for a writing camp that lasts until the end of June, so I'm not sure if I will be able to finish a chapter in time. I have recently finished a chapter for each of my other bubbline stories, and will try and update before I leave. Thank you for sticking around and giving me a chance, I'm trying my best.

Marceline looked up in surprise when Bonnibel entered their bedroom. They were more used to each other’s company now, but it was the middle of the day. Knowing her, she should have been in some sort of Royal Meeting (or avoiding one by burying herself in work).

“Do you need something?” she asked, setting her book aside. This one was actually rather good, but if Bonnibel needed her help she didn't mind.

“There will be a ball at the fire kingdom.” Bonnibel said stiffly, holding out a piece of paper.

The first thing Marceline noticed was the intricately embossed golden seal, so large that the stylized flame eating up most of the page. She turned it over, the curlicues letters nearly illegible.

**_Attention Princess Bubblegum and Mrs. Abadeer (Vampire Queen),_ **

**_You are officially invited to the Flame King’s Ball as Honoured Guests. The Ball will take place on the night of the full moon in two weeks’ time. Please RSVP within the week and present this invitation at the door when you arrive._ **

Their first official event together. Marceline had known this day would come. Frankly, she was surprised it hadn't occurred sooner. There had been so many dinners in the Nightosphere that even if she tried, she couldn't clearly remember any individual party.

“Now, relations with the flame kingdom are already a bit rocky, so I must attend. I suppose I could fabricate some sort of excuse for you…”

“Don’t worry about it, I can come. It’s not like I’m doing anything else.” Marceline waved a hand, immediately dismissing Bonnibel’s concerns.

Things had gotten better in private, but for some reason she still seemed wary of being seen in public with Marceline. Then again, they hadn't known each other for very long. Marceline was still unsure of how she could talk to Bonnibel in public. According to the gossip, Bonnibel hadn't ever had a partner before, so she probably felt even more uncertain. Well, that was what Marceline told herself so she could feel a bit less alone.

That seemed to have settled the matter. Two days later, Bonnibel had someone come in and tailor a custom-made dress to fit her. It was beautiful. The fabric was smooth as silk, and she loved the way it faded from the violet bodice into a dusky wine colour for the skirt.

It also went very well with the violet and black suit Bonnibel had decided to wear. She had put her hair up in a braid, and looked very good. Marceline had to admit that if she wasn't her wife, she probably would have tried flirting with her if they met. However, Bonnibel had made her boundaries very clear. If she wasn't interested in a relationship, Marceline wasn't going to push her. They were finally beginning to really get comfortable around each other, and she didn't want to ruin it.

“You look good,” she said, trying to sound as casual as possible.

“Thank you.” Bonnibel smiled briefly before she dove into her explanations. “I took the time to work out a few calculations for the ball. While there is always a dance floor, I have found out that there will be a total of thirteen formal dances. Therefore, we may avoid participation for at most eight of them, but to be polite we must dance for at least five. I don't mind if you want to try dancing with other people, but we should probably spend the first and final dances together, so people don't get the wrong idea. What do you think?”

Marceline chuckled, linking their arms together as they proceeded to the carriage waiting outside. “I think you need to relax, Bonnie. I understand you like to have a plan. But trust me, if everything is so rigidly timed then people will feel that something’s off. I’ll save the first and last dances for you, but how about we just see what happens for the rest?”

“Hm, I suppose you’re right. Very well, let us depart.” Bonnibel opened the door for Marceline, helping her situate herself inside before climbing in next to her.

Marceline hadn't seen this when she was first exploring the castle. Had Bonnibel just made it? The outside was made of a smooth black material, with lacy black curtains that could be drawn for privacy.

The inside of the carriage was even nicer. Every single piece of cloth from the curtains to the seats of the compartment was a deep, luscious red that had Marceline's mouth watering. Hm, would Bonnibel mind if she tried a bit? She would have to ask later.

After exchanging a few words with the driver, they settled into a relative silence as the scenery rolled past outside. Thankfully, the sun had just gone down, so Marceline was able to enjoy it.

She hadn't left the castle much since her arrival, but the few times she'd explored the woods had been pleasant. She would have loved to go explore them right now… She would have distracted herself with some pleasant conversation, but Bonnibel didn't seem very interested in what she was saying.

Marceline glanced over at Bonnibel again. She seemed to be holding herself strangely, her body completely rigid as she stared at the wall directly in front of her.

Marceline couldn't just ignore it, could she? Would Bonnibel get mad at her for asking? She usually didn't seem to mind Marceline’s questions about her, but this one could possibly be interpreted as an insult, even if she definitely didn't mean it that way. Ah well, there was only one way to find out.

"Have you been to an event like this with a date before?"

She'd hit the nail on the head. Bonnibel stiffened up, shooting her a suspicious look that was almost a glare.

Marceline raised her hands, leaning away a little. "Hey, relax. I was just checking if you’re alright. You seemed a little on-edge.”

She really wasn't doing herself any favours was she? “I just wanted to check beforehand. For what it's worth, I'm sure you'll do fine. Just act like you normally would. It's basically the same as before, except this time I’ll be there. Trust me, now that we’ve spent a little time together things will be a lot less awkward than they could have been.”

“Alright. Thank you.”

Bonnibel finally seemed a little less stressed, and when Marceline asked about her experiments, she happily opened up. Marceline didn't fully understand all of the terms she was using, but she was happy to watch her talk.

After that time passed quickly, and before Marceline knew it they had pulled up at the edge of the Fire Kingdom.

An attendant came up to the door on Marceline's side, waiting for her gesture to open the door.

Marceline turned to Bonnibel. ”Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

Marceline buried down the disappointment at Bonnibel's tone. She was at a ball with a pretty girl on her arm, and even if it wasn't her idea of an amazing time at least she was back in Ooo. She might even see a couple familiar faces.

She helped Bonnibel down, leaving their hands lovely clasped as they walked up to the castle entrance.

 


End file.
